NAIMEE COLEMAN is the latest in a long line of Irish female singer/songwriters who have managed to transcend their erstwhile band formats to set out on a solo voyage of discovery, major record label interest and plaudits from all and sundry. The fact that she's a mere 19 years of age is reason enough for seasoned record company executives to bide their time. It remains to be seen whether Naimee will fulfil their expectations of her, for behind the generally frothy quality of her music lies an unexpected, albeit occasional, bite.
The opening song, Still She Sings, set the tone for what turned out to be a curate's egg of a gig. That first song was delivered with all the poise and fragile confidence of a mature songwriter/performer, while songs such as Ruthless Affection and Remind Me continued to highlight the air of determination. After a few more songs, however, it became quite obvious that determination itself doesn't write great tunes, and therein lies the rub.
While Naimee's onstage demeanour seems to equate shyness with picking at her nails, she at least maintains the perfect mixture of the cocky and coquettish. And just when you think you'd rather not listen to another song of indifference - Better Than This being the main culprit out comes the superb Delicate, the frailty of bath tune and performer all too apparent. It was a tender and true moment in a gig that suffered from the strain of predictability.
